Sylvania



D. AND C. C. GOODMAN.

DANCING AND nsvoLvING HGUNENND OPERATING MEcHANlsM THEnEFoH.

APPLICTON FILED MAY 3. 9|9 1,318,071. Patented Oct. 7,1919.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

'ma cuLUMnIA PLANonnMm nu, WASmNaToN, n. cA

D. AND C. C. GOODMAN.

DANCING AND REVOLVING FIGURE AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED III/w3. I9I9.

1,318,071. Patented` OCI. 7,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Iu\ I-I mm-IIzAI-II cn., WASHINGTON. l). c.

'iinrrn sTATns PA FICE.

DAvID GOODMAN AND CONRAD CHARLES GOODMA sYLvANIA.

N, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENN- DANCING AND itsvoLvING riennns AND OPERATINGliviEoHANIsivi THEREFOR.

Application filed May 3,

To all whom t may concern l Be it known that we, .DAVID GOODMAN andCONRAD C. United States, residing at Philadelphia, in thecounty ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andusefulV Improvements in Dancing and Revolving Figures andOperatingMechanism Therefor, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.` Y

This invention relates to an improved amusement apparatus, particularlyof a type in which a plurality of `revolving and dancing figures areemployed, ancl an improved mechanism for operating the .revolving-anddancing figures. v

The invention aims toprovide an apparatus particularly adapted'for theamusement of children, andone which'is simple, efficient and practicalin construction.

The invention further aims to provide aplurality of figures arrangedinseries, and means for revolving the series of figures, one following theotherin a continuous circuit, and means for revolving each series, infact the series will be rotatingindividually, but also at the same time,while they are travel- `ing in a continuous circuit, thereby creatingamusement.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thisgeneral character including means whereby as the figures are revolvingin a circuit, and independently and also at the same time, protions tothe figures, giving the effect that the figures are turning andvibrating, in Vorder to portray theart of dancing.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forthis deemed preferable, it is Obvious that gas a result of a reduction ofthe invention to amorepractical ,y

form for commercial purposes, the invention maybe susceptible tochanges, and the right to these changes is claimed', provided they arecomprehended within the scope of what is claimed. V

The invention i comprises vfurther features and combination of parts, aswill be here-'- inafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings: AFigure 1 is a view Vpartly in section, and

' partly in elevation, of the improved appaspecification@ LettersPatent.

GOODMAN, citizens of the Patented oet. v, 1919.

Y 1919. serial No. 294,547.

ratus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

F ig. 3 is a detail view of another form ofl gearing between therevoluble member or disk and the shaft of the revolving figures ordolls. y

Fig. 4 is a view of a housing frame, showing mounted therein inelevation, a mechanism for imparting movement to the revolving disk, andthe means for operating the series of dancing figures, as the table isin motion, the means for operating the figures simultaneously having amodified construction for accomplishing practically the same result asaccomplished in Figs. l and 2.

Y Fig. 5 is 'a sectional view on line 5-5 lof Fig. 4c.

Fig'. 6 is a sectional view through a housing, showing another `meansfor imparting movements to the series of figures.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a Vmeans for imparting the slight vibrationsto the figures, so that such vibrations, together with the revolutionsof the `gures impart to those observing that the figures are portrayingdancers.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the means for impartingrevoluble movements to the series of figures.

Fig. 9 isa detail sectional view through the center of a portion of thedisk 27 showing the gear 9a, and also showing the mounting of the pulley30 on the stationary shaft or post 29, which acts as a support for thecentral portion of the top `of thecasing or housing of the apparatusFig. 10` is a detail view showing how the arms 17- are mounted on therevoluble member or disk 7, showing the springs 18.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a suitable housing Or casing, inbearings 2 of Vwhich a crank shaft 3 is mounted. The crank shaft has ahandleJ 4 at Oneend, and a gear 5` at its other end. Mounted in anysuitable manner upon a vertical support 6 which is' centrally of thehousing or casing)is a supporting and operating disk 7. The under partof this disk hasa depending fiange 8 provided with gear teeth 9, whichare engaged by the teeth of -a gear 5, so that when motion is impartedto the crank shaft, the supporting and revoluble disk 7 may rotate, ineither direction, it depending upon the direction of rotation of thecrank. Whilethe flange 8 is shown as provided with gear teeth 9, it isobvious that the teeth may be dispensed with if desired, and instead,the lower edge of the flange 8 may frictionally contact with thefriction gear' in place of the gear 5. By such an arrangement it will beseen that motion may be imparted to the disk 7, possibly not as positiveas when using gears, but the friction may be sufficient 1n order torotate the disk 7. Also mounted upon the support and stationarytherewith is a disk member 11, provided with an annular groove 12. Thehousing or casing in its upper wall is provided with a circular slot 13,the central portion of the upper wall of the housing or casing is alsomounted stationary relatively to the disk 11. A plurality of verticalshafts 14 are provided, which are supplied with suitable friction gears15.

The lower ends of the shafts 14, in Fig. 7, engage suitafble brasssockets 16, which are countersunk into the rotating and supporting disk7, thereby swivelly mounting the shafts 14.

The shafts are also provided with arms 17, to which springs 18 areconnected. These springs are carried by the rotating and supportingdisk7, and constitute means to urge the vertical shafts, so as to keep theirfriction gears in constant frictional contact or engagement with thegroove 12 of the disk 11, so that when the disk 7 is given revolublemovements, the shafts 14 will revolve. A plurality of figure supportingplates or members 20 have depending lugs 21. These lugs fit in thesockets of the upper ends of the shafts 14, so that when said shafts arerotated, the supporting plates will likewise move or rotate so that thefigures there on will operate in a fashion, which will give theimpression that the figures are dancing. The under faces of the platesare provided with projections 22, which will contact and ride oversimilar projections 23 of the top of the housing or casing, therebyimparting vibrations to the plates, which together with the travel ofthe figures in a circuit, will create the impression that the figuresare dancing.

In Fig. 3 instead of the disk 11 being grooved, it is provided withteeth 24. These teeth are designed to mesh with the teeth of the gears24a, which are to be used in lieu of the friction gears 15. The teeth 24are mutilated, in other words a vacant space 25a isprovided, vand whenthis space comes in contact with the teeth of the gear 24, the shaft 14awill pause in its rotation, thereby giving the impression that thefigures are hesitating, while in the act of dancing.

The gear 5 is provided with a vacant space 10a. This space, when itcomes in contact with the teeth 9 of the flange 8, the

rotating or supporting disk will pause, thereby giving the impressionthat the gurcs are hesitating.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a modified construction of means is provided forimparting motions to the series of gures individually, and at the sametime, and this modified construction of-means comprises a plurality ofpulleys 25, one upon each of the vertical shafts 26. These shafts 26 arecarried by the supporting and rotating disk 27. The plates 28 for thesupport of the figures are mounted on the upper ends of the shafts 2G. Acentral post `29 has its lower end fixed to the bottom (not shown) ofthe housing or casing, and rises up from the bottom, and passes throughthe supporting and rotating disk 27, and its upper end engages a socketmember 29@L Fig. 9', which is secured to the under face of the centralportion of the top of the housing or casing. Revoluble upon the centralpost 29 is a pulley 30, and depending downwardly from the pulley is akey or projection 30a, which engages a notch 30b of the central openingin the disk 27 thereby making the disk fast with the pulley 30. It isobvious that when the disk is rotated, the pulley will in turn berotated, which will transmit motion to the plurality of belts 31. Thesebelts 31 engage the pulleys 25 and the pulley 30. The lower eX- tremityof the kejT or projection 30a also engages in a notch of the centralopening in the gear 9a, in order to insure rotation of the gear 9a withthe disk 27. The gear 9L is also fastened by the rivets or the like 27ato the disk 27. Each belt 31 is crossed at two points vas indicated at32, andthe central portions of the belts are separated and engage thepulley 30 at diametrically opposite points. It is obvious that when thedisk 27 islrotated, motions will be imparted to the belts through themedium of the pulley 30, which revolves with the disk 27, and whichmotions of the belts 31 are transmitted to the pulleys 25, therebyimparting u the motions to the shafts 26. The lower ends of the shafts26'are mounted in bearings of the disk 27. The arrows a, b and cindicate the direction of rotation of the disk 27, the pulleys 25 and30, while the arrows d indicate the direction of travel ofsaid belts.

In Fig. 6, a modified arrangement of belting is provided. In thisconstruction, the central post of the supporting disk is provided with apulley 33 provided with a plurality of grooves, which are engaged by aplurality of radial belts 34.

In applying the belts 31 (which are endless) the opposite sides of thebelts are rst placed in engagement with diametrically opposite portionsof the pulley 30, as indicated in Fig. 8, after which end portions ofthe belts are crossed, as at 32, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Lemgo-71 In Fig. 7, a modified construction of Vmeans for impartingvibrations to the iig:`

ures is disclosed.

In Fig. 7 there is disclosed alargedetail view in section of .themountingiof one of the shafts 14, clearly` :showing one of the brasssockets V16, Vwhich is countersunk in the disk V47. Alsof in thisfigure: there `is shown a modified construction fof aV figuresupporting` plate 20. Forfinstance the plate 1nF1g.

7 is provided l with ligure supportingmembers proper 20a, each of whichis provided with a depending pin 2Gb, which vpasses through an openingin the plate 20, which is loosely mounted upon the .upper end of theshaft 14, in such wise as to permit a slight vertical vibrationoftlieplate 20, when the nubs22 Contact with the nubs 23. "The loosenessof play ofl each of the plates 20 with relation to the upper end oftheshaft 14 is not sufiicient to permit the plate 20 to sag at itsouter endto the extent of dragging or contacting with the upper fa-ce ofthe topof the housing orcasmg. Secured in any suitable manner (not shown) tothe lower ends of the pins 20b are additional plates 20c,- which, in thestructure of Fig. 7, carry the nubs 22, to engage the nubs 23. Itisobvious that the structure in Fig. 7 relative to the plates 20 may beused in connection with the structures of Figs. 1, 2, '4, 5

. and 6. Interposed between the ligure` supporting plates 20at and theupper face of the Vplate 20 and in surrounding relation to the pins 20hare washers 20d. Additional washers 20d are interposed between theplates 2Oc and the under face of the plate 20 and in surroundingrelation to the pins 20". By

virtue of these washers, it is obvious thatV the figure supportingplates proper 20a are held properly spaced, yet there is sufficientlooseness of play between the plates 20, 20a, and 20"', whereby when thenubs 22 contact with the nubs during the revoluble movements of theplates 20, the figure supporting plates 20l may vibrate relatively tothe plateV 20. By means of this vibrating movement, it may be noted thatthe figures on the plate 20a will in turn vibrate, thereby giving theimpression that the figures are portraying certain steps or movements indancing, say for instance, such movements as may result when foX-rotting. YAllso in Fig. 7 a modiiied form of spring means 14al isillustrated for urging the shafts 14 in slightly inclined directionstoward the periphery of the friction grooved disk 11, so as to insurefriction between the friction gears 1'5 and the friction disk member 11.Y

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis: v l

1. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a housing, the upperwall of which is provided with a circular slot or opening, of arotatable supporting table mounted in the housing, of a plurality ofvertical shafts supported on 4the table at d-iametrically oppositepoints and provided with gears, of a stationary gear mounted in thehousing and engaged by said gears ofA the shafts, J whereby f "revolublemovements are imparted to said shafts, plates carried on thezshafts randhaving figures representing dancers, `and means for cooperating with theshafts for urging their gears in frictional Contact with thestationarygear.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a housing having itsupper wall provided with a circular opening, of a `rotatable supportingmember mounted in the housing, revoluble elements loosely supported uponsaid. member at diametrically opposite points, means carried upon therevoluble member for imparting revoluble movement to the loosely mountedelements, said elements having supports provided with movable ligures,loosely supported means carried by the members to support the figuresand means carried by the top wall of the h-ousing to be engaged by partsof the figure supporting means, whereby the gures may vibrate, as theymove in a circular direction, and means for operating the revolublemember.

3. In an amusement appara-tus, the combination with a housing having itsupper wall provided with a circular opening, of a revoluble membermounted in said housing, means loosely mounted upon the revoluble memberand movable in said circular opening, devices loosely mounted upon theupper portions of the loosely moimted mea-ns of the revoluble member andcarryin'g figures, said devices having elements, means on the uppersurface of the top to be engaged by said elements to vibrate thedevices, as the loosely mounted means rotate, and means for operatingthe revoluble member.

4. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a housing having itsupper wall provided with a circular opening, a revoluble member mountedin the housing and provided with revoluble devices adapted to revolve ina circuit relatively different to the circuit of the revoluble member,said devices protruding through the circular opening, figure supportingelements carried by the devices loosely, intermittently coperative meanscarried by the elements and the upper surface of the top Wall, forvibrating the elements as the devices rotate.

5. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a housing having itsupper wall provided with a circular opening, a revoluble member mountedin the housing and provided with revoluble devices adapt-ed to revolvein a circuit relatively different to the circuit of the revolublemember, said devices protruding through thecircular openpieces adaptedto rotate in a horizontal plane, said pieces and the upper Wall of thehousing having intermittently cooperative connections, to cause saidpieces to vibrate,.

DAvID GOODMAN. CONRAD OHARLEs GOODMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, IJ. C.

